the bobbsey twins at school(读书的鲍勃西双胞胎)-第4部分
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showed how he had gotten out。
〃Most likely Snoop got frightened when the train stopped so suddenly；
and broke loose；〃 said Mr。 Bobbsey。 〃We may find him outside。〃
〃I … I hope an elephant didn't step on him〃 said Flossie； with a
catch in her breath。
〃Ohooo！ Maybe a tiger or a lion has him！〃 wailed Freddie。 〃Oh；
Snoop！〃
〃Be quiet； dear； we'll find him for you；〃 said Mrs。 Bobbsey； as she
opened her satchel to get out some cookies。 Then she remembered
something。
〃Freddie； where is that silver cup？〃 she asked。 〃You had it to get a
drink。 Did you give it back to me？〃
〃No； mamma； I … I〃
〃He gave the fat lady a drink from it；〃 spoke Flossie； 〃and she didn't
give it back。〃
〃The train stopped just as she was drinking；〃 went on Freddie。 〃I sat
down on the floor … hard； and I saw the water spill on her。 The fat
lady has our silver cup！ Oh； dear！〃
〃And she's gone … and Snoop is gone！〃 cried Flossie。 〃Oh！ oh！〃
〃Is that so … did you let her take your cup； Freddie？〃 asked his papa。
Freddie only nodded。 He could not speak。
〃That fat lady was with the circus；〃 said one of the men passengers。
〃Maybe you can see her outside。〃
〃I'll look；〃 said Mr。 Bobbsey； quickly。 〃That cup is too valuable to
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lose。 Come； children； we'll see if we can't find Snoop also； and then
we'll take a trolley car for home。〃
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CHAPTER III A QUEER DOG
PAPA BOBBSEY first looked for some of the circus men of whom he
might inquire about the fat lady。 There was much confusion； for a
circus wreck is about as bad a kind as can happen； and for some time Mr。
Bobbsey could find no one who could tell him what he wanted to know。
Meanwhile Mrs。 Bobbsey kept the four children and Dinah with her；
surrounding their little pile of baggage off to one side of The tracks。
Some of the big torches were still burning； and the full moon was
coming up； so that there was plenty of light； even if it was night。
〃Oh； but if we could only find Snoop！〃 cried Freddie。 〃Here； Snoop！
Snoop！〃 he called。
〃I had much rather find the fat lady； and get back your lovely silver
cup；〃 said Mrs。 Bobbsey。 〃I hope she hasn't taken it away with her。〃
〃She had it in her hand when the train； stopped with such a jerk；〃
explained Flossie。 〃Oh； but mamma； don't you want us to find Snoop …
dear Snoop？〃
〃Of course I do。 But I want that silver cup very much； too。 I hope
your father finds it。〃
〃But there never could be another Snoop；〃 cried Flossie。 〃Could
there； Freddie？ And we could get another silver cup。〃
〃Don't be silly；〃 advised Bert； rather shortly。
〃Oh； don't talk that way to them；〃 said Nan。 〃They do love that cat so。
Never mind； Flossie and Freddie。 I'm sure we'll find him soon。 Here
comes papa。〃
Mr。 Bobbsey came back； looking somewhat worried。
〃Did you find her？〃 asked Mrs。 Bobbsey anxiously。
〃No；〃 he replied； with a shake of his head。 〃She was the circus fat
lady all right。 It seems she missed the showtrain； and came on in ours。
And； when we stopped she got out； and went up ahead。 Part of the circus
train； carrying the performers； was not damaged and that has gone on。
The fat lady is with that； so one of the men said。〃
〃And； very likely； she has carried off our silver cup；〃 exclaimed Mrs。
Bobbsey。 〃Oh dear！ Can you find her later； Richard？〃
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〃I think so。 But it will take some time。 The circus is going to
Danville … that's a hundred miles from here。 But I will write to the
managers there； and ask them to get our cup from the fat lady。〃
〃But where is Snoop？〃 asked Freddie； with much anxiety。
〃I don't know； my dear；〃 answered Mr。 Bobbsey。 〃I asked the circus
men if they had seen him； but they were too busy to remember。 He
may be running around some where。 But we can't wait any longer。
We must get home。 I'll speak to one of the switchmen； who stay
around here； and if they see Snoop I'll have them keep him for us。
We'll come back tomorrow and inquire。〃
〃But we want Snoop now！〃 exclaimed Freddie； fretfully。
〃I'm afraid we can't get him；〃 said Mrs。 Bobbsey； gently。 〃Come；
children； let's go home now； and leave it to papa。 Oh； to think of your
lovely silver cup being gone！〃
〃Snoop is worse；〃 said Flossie； almost crying。
〃I … I'm sorry I let the fat lady take the cup；〃 spoke Freddie。
〃Oh； you meant all right； my dear；〃 said his mamma； 〃and it was very
kind of you。 But we really ought to start。 We may miss a trolley。
Come； Dinah； can you carry all you have？〃
〃'Deed an' I can； Mrs。 Bobbsey。 But I suah am sorry 'bout dat ar'
Snoop。〃
〃Oh； it wasn't your fault； Dinah；〃 said Nan quickly。 〃He is getting to
be such a big cat that he can easily push the slats off his box； now。 We
must make it stronger next time。〃
Flossie and Freddie wondered if there would be a 〃next time；〃 for they
feared Snoop was gone forever。 They did not worry so much about the
silver cup； valuable as it was。
With everyone in the little party carrying something； the Bobbsey
family set off across； the fields toward the distant trolley line that would
take them nearly home。 The moon was well up now； and there was a
good path across the fields。 Nan and Bert were talking about the wreck；
and recalling some of the funny incidents of catching the circus animals。
Flossie and Freddie were wondering whether they would ever see their
pet cat again。 They had had him so long that he seemed like one of the
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family。
〃Maybe he ran off and joined the circus；〃 said Flossle。
〃Maybe；〃 spoke her brother。 〃But he can't do any tricks； so they
won't want him in a show。〃
〃He can so do tricks！ He can chase his tail and almost grab it。〃
〃That isn't a trick。〃
〃It is so … as much as standing on your head。〃
〃Children … children … I don't know what I'll do with you if you
don't stop that constant bickering；〃 said Mrs。 Bobbsey。 〃You must not
dispute so。〃
〃Well； mamma； but isn't chasing your tail a trick？〃 asked Flossie。
〃Freddie says it isn't。〃
〃Well； it isn't a circus trick； anyhow；〃 declared her brother。 〃I meant
a circus trick。〃
〃Well； Snoop is a good cat； anyhow；〃 went on Flossie； 〃and I wish we
had him back。〃
〃Oh； so do I！〃 exclaimed Freddie； and thus that little dispute ended。
They were walking along through a little patch of woods now； when
Bert； who was the last one in line； suddenly called out：
〃Something is coming after us！〃
〃Coming after us？ What do you mean？〃 asked Nan quickly； as she
hurried to her father's side。
〃I mean I've been listening for two or three minutes now； to some
animal following after us along the path。 Some big animal； too。〃
Flossie and Freddie both ran back and took hold of their mother's
hands。
〃Don't scare the children； Bert；〃 said Mr。 Bobbsey； a bit sternly。 〃Did
you really hear something？〃
〃Yes； father。 It's some animal walking behind us。 Listen and you
can hear it your self。〃
They all listened。 It was very quiet。 Then from down the hard dirt
path they all heard the 〃pitpat； pitpat〃 of the footsteps of some animal。
It was coming on slowly。
For a moment Mr。 Bobbsey thought of the wild animals of the circus。
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In spite of what the men had said perhaps one of the beasts might have
escaped from its cage。 The others in the little party evidently thought
the same thing。 Mrs。 Bobbsey drew her children more closely about her。
〃'Deed an' if it's one ob dem elephants；〃 said Dinah； 〃an' if he comes
fo' me I'll jab mah hat pin in his long nose … dat's what I will！〃
〃It can't be an elephant；〃 said Mr。 Bobbsey。 〃One of the big beasts
would make more noise than that。 It may be one of the monkeys … I
don't see how they could catch them all … they were so lively and full
of mischief。〃
